Recess Policy for Wilson SD Elementary Schools

Dear Wilson School District Administration,

As parents of students in the Wilson School District, we are writing to request an examination of the recess policies and procedures currently instituted at the elementary schools within Wilson School District. In this letter, we review research on the benefits of recess as well as policy recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Association of State Boards of Education. We conclude by outlining four suggestions for consideration by the administration to address our concerns.

The critical role of recess has been established in educational research. Recess serves an important function in a child's day, not just for physical activity, but also for social skill development and the cognitive and emotional benefits of unstructured play. Specifically, research has demonstrated the positive impact of recess on academic performance, sustained attention, classroom behavior, social skill development, physical fitness, and psychological well-being.
Cognitive and Classroom Behavior Benefits

Regarding academic performance, sustained attention, and classroom behavior, research found that when Grade 4 children were granted recess they fidgeted less, worked more, and were less likely to be "off-task," (compared to days without recess). Additionally, research demonstrates a clear relationship between physical activity in the school day and concentration, memory and behavior within the classroom. Finally, increased physical activity has been shown to have a positive effect on standardized test scores.

Because the research demonstrates that recess improves classroom behavior and the removal of recess is likely to increase behavior problems, the American Academic of Pediatrics (AAP) states, "On the basis of an abundance of scientific studies, withholding recess for punitive or academic reasons would seem to be counterproductive to the intended outcomes,"1 and therefore the Academy recommends, "Recess should be considered a child's personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons."1

Social Skill Benefits 


Regarding social skill development, research suggests critical social learning occurs during unstructured interactions amongst peers. The American Academy of Pediatrics summarizes this and other research with the statement, "Through play at recess, children learn valuable communication skills, including negotiation, cooperation, sharing, and problem solving."

Physical Fitness Benefits


Regarding physical fitness, research demonstrates that children are incredibly active during recess. In one study, children achieved 44% of their "daily steps" in one 15-minute recess break. While children may actually be more active during recess than in physical education, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recommends 150 minutes of PE per week for elementary school students, which amounts to daily PE, which is also what the AAP recommends, "the reinstatement of compulsory, quality, daily PE classes in all schools (kindergarten through grade 12)." However, in Wilson elementary schools, students in grades 1-5 receive PE only one time in a six day cycle, making recess even more critically important, as most days it is their only opportunity for physical activity. Children are recommended to have at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests school is the best place to ensure this is happening, "Physical activity needs to be promoted at home, in the community, and at school, but school is perhaps the most encompassing way for all children to benefit."8 While changing the Wilson elementary schedules to have daily PE would be understandably difficult, the barriers to increasing recess time should be considerably less.

Finally, adequate recess during the day is essential as research shows that children's activity during the school day predicts their physical activity at home. In a well-designed study, researchers investigated whether children would compensate for an inactive school day by being more active in the afternoon. They actually found the opposite to be true. If children are active (recess and PE), they are more active during after school hours. If their activity is restricted (no recess or PE), they are less active when they get home.

Psychological Well-Being Benefits


Regarding psychological well-being, physical activity within the school day is related to lower stress and anxiety.8 Physical activity decreases stress, but physical activity is not sufficient in and of itself, as decreased opportunities provided for unstructured play have been theorized to be related to the increases in children's mental health difficulties.

Other Schools Lead the Charge


Due to the abundance of scientific research which outlines numerous benefits to children's well-being, other school districts are leading the charge in increasing time for recess with documented benefits. Specifically, the LiiNK project which increases elementary school recess to one hour has documented a 30% decrease in off-task behavior, a 5% decrease in student BMI, a 2-6% improvement in reading and math outcomes, and gains in empathy and prosocial behavior. Other school districts are following suit, including one district in Long Island, New York, whose Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Hynes states, "I recommend one hour or more of recess and self-directed play every day," and in explanation says, "the 'United Nations Standards of Human Rights' endorses that federal prisoners have at least an hour of outdoor exercise every day. If a prisoner in jail has this endorsement, why wouldn't we allow the same right to our children in our schools?"

Wilson School District has the opportunity to lead the charge in providing increased recess time to our elementary school students, based on the abundance of evidence and recommendations by pediatric and school board organizations. In doing so, the district is likely to continue to live up to its reputation as a top school district in the state of Pennsylvania.

Specifically, we ask the school administration to consider the following suggestions:

1. Consider extending total protected recess time for elementary students to 60 minutes per day.

Rationale: Research reviewed in this letter demonstrates that increased protected time for recess is likely to pay in dividends during instructional activities due to decreased off-task behavior and disruptions by students, as well as the established relationship between physical activity and academic success. Additionally, while Wilson is well below the evidence-based PE guidelines recommended by both NASBE and AAP, increasing recess to 60 minutes per day could represent an attempt to compensate for this.

2. With the addition of an extra scheduled recess, consider a recess for elementary students both prior to lunch and in the afternoon.

Rationale: Research demonstrates significantly improved behavior at lunch and decreased food waste when children are provided recess prior to lunch. We also acknowledge that the dedicated teachers at Wilson recognize the importance of recess and sometimes grant students a second recess. If this recess were a scheduled part of the day, it would be more regularly achievable while simultaneously allowing teachers to rotate supervision duty and have additional planning time.

3. Prohibit the removal of recess as a disciplinary strategy used for elementary school students.

Rationale: As reviewed in this letter, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends recess removal should not be a disciplinary strategy used in school as there is an "abundance of scientific evidence" which suggests this in an ineffective and counterproductive measure.

While we acknowledge that there are many important components involved in educating young children that are competing for limited time during the school day, we feel (and the research supports) increasing recess for our students is a worthy consideration. We believe collaboration between the community and school results in a superior educational experience for our students. We look forward to continued conversations with the Wilson school board and district administration in order to ensure our school is leading the charge in integrating evidence-based practices in our children's education.

Sincerely,

Parents of Wilson School District Elementary Students